Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Sahara Time&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Sahara Time’, having large golden amber single flowers with a green disc. ‘Sahara Time’ has a medium to tall vigor with a good foliage presentation.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/703,343, filed Jul. 28, 2005.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Sahara Time’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, andreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Sahara Time’.

‘Sahara Time’, identified as 22258-0 originated from a cross made in acontrolled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom.

The female parent of the new variety is ‘Solar Time Dark’, an unpatentedvariety identified as 20168-1 and the male parent is the variety knownas ‘Swing Time Dark’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,896). The new variety‘Sahara Time’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings inChichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishingcharacteristics are retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Sahara Time’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having goldenamber single flowers with a green disc.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Sahara Time’ are dissimilar tothe female parent ‘Solar Time Dark’ in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Sahara Time’ differed from plants of the female parent ‘Solar TimeDark’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Sahara Time’ produces golden amber single        flowers whereas the female parent ‘Solar Time Dark’ produces        bronze single flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Sahara Time’ have larger and        taller inflorescence than plants of the female parent ‘Solar        Time Dark’.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Sahara Time’ have a quicker        response than plants of the female parent ‘Solar Time Dark’.

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Sahara Time’ are dissimilar tothe male parent ‘Swing Time Dark’ in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Sahara Time’ differed from plants of the male parent ‘Swing Time Dark’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Sahara Time’ produces golden amber single        flowers whereas the male parent ‘Swing Time Dark’ produces        orange single flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Sahara Time’ have larger and        taller inflorescence than plants of the male parent ‘Swing Time        Dark’.

Comparison with ‘Swing Time Mandarin’

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Sahara Time’ are dissimilar toplants of the variety ‘Swing Time Mandarin’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,290)in plant habit and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons inChichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice,plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Sahara Time’ differed fromplants of ‘Swing Time Mandarin’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Sahara Time’ produces amber single flowers        whereas ‘Swing Time Mandarin’ produces amber orange single        flowers with spoon tips.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Sahara Time’ have larger and        taller inflorescence than plants of ‘Swing Time Mandarin’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Sahara Time’ are shown in the accompanying digital photograph.The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of thiskind of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘Sahara Time’ grown in apot. The plant shown in the illustration is 55 days from the onset ofShort Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Sahara Time’is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex, UnitedKingdom, in the month of October. The cultivar has not been observedunder all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in the environment such as temperature,length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. Thecommercial classification of the new variety is a pot Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C. to 24° C.during the day under light conditions of about 2,500 Lux. The plantsrespond well to the use of growth retardant, such as one B9 treatment atabout 2 grams per liter. To produce a commercial product, the plants maybe pinched once with the center bud removed. The typical container sizefor commercial growth is 1 liter. It has been observed that the shelflife of the new variety is about 28 days with a response time of about7.5 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature rangeof 15° C. to 25° C.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as potChrysanthemum. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety,color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.C.C.).

-   Plant:-   Plant type: Pot-   Habit: Upright and free branching-   Height (cm): 19-   Width (cm): 26-   Stem:    -   -   Length (cm).—5.5.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—138B.-   Branching characteristics: Upright and free branching-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Length (cm).—10.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.4.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.-   Number of breaks from pinch: 6-   Response time: 50 days-   Vigor: Medium/Tall-   Shelf life: 28 days-   Life of blooms: 28 days-   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date.-   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date.-   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance observed): None    observed to date.-   Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5 gm/liter    B9 @ 2, 21 and 28 days after sticking unrooted cuttings. The plants    were grown for two weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of light)    and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of dark).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings.        -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.        -   Rooting habit.—After 7 Long Days, the first roots emerge and            form root primordia. In 14 Long Days, a complete root system            is developed.-   Foliage:-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 10-   Compound or single: Single-   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate    -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed.        -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 5.8 Length (cm): 7.5.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Attachment.—Petioled.        -   Aspect.—Slightly undulating.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.        -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly pubescent Bottom:            Pubescent.-   Petiole:    -   -   Color.—138A.        -   Length (cm).—2.3.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.4.        -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.-   Venation: Net, prominent lateral and mid-veins at underside.    -   -   Color.—upper side: 138B under side: 138C.-   Color:    -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—137A; under side: 137D.        -   Young leaf, upper side.—137A; under side: 137C.-   Flower:-   Flower appearance: Matte-   Flower type: Single-   Flower form: Flat-   Flower shape: Circular-   Flowering habit: Cyme-   Number of blossoms per branch: 7-   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December-   Inflorescence form: Cyme    -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—1.        -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—7.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Number.—20.        -   Color.—137C.        -   Length (cm).—0.7.        -   Width (cm).—0.2.        -   Texture/appearance.—Slightly pubescent.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length (cm).—10.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.4.        -   Angle from stem (degrees).—15.        -   Color.—137C.        -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—terminal (cm): 4; lateral (cm): 3.5.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Habit.—Straight.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Form/shape.—Straight with parallel edges to the central mid            vein.        -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.        -   Number per flower.—30.        -   Length (cm).—3.5 Width (cm): 1.2.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Tapered.        -   Margin.—Entire.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Form/shape.—Cylindric.        -   Texture/appearance.—Shiny.        -   Number per flower.—200.        -   Length (cm).—0.6; Width (cm): 0.1.        -   Diameter of disc (cm).—1.5.-   Fragrance: None-   Flower Bud (at onset of color):    -   -   Length (cm).—1.3.        -   Diameter (cm).—1.3.        -   Form/shape.—Globular.-   General flower color:    -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: 17A Mature: 17C            Older/Fading: 17C.        -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: 14B Mature: 14C            Older/Fading: 14C.        -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: 144C Mature: 145B Older/Fading:            7B.        -   4. Bud.—14B.-   Flower progression with age: Flower form does not change and there    is very little color fading with age.-   Reproductive organs: Gynoecium present on Ray and Disc florets.-   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate    -   -   Pistil number.—30.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.4.-   Disc florets per individual flower: Pistillate    -   -   Pistil number.—200.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—Forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.4.-   Androecium present on disc florets only: Staminate    -   -   Stamen number.—50.        -   Anther shape.—Clubbed.        -   Anther color.—154C.        -   Pollen color.—14B.        -   Pollen quantity.—Moderate.-   Fruit and seeds: None

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.